


The Longest Mile (Discontinued)

by Amelita



Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-14
Updated: 2014-10-16
Packaged: 2018-02-21 04:20:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2454500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amelita/pseuds/Amelita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You never really know a man until you understand things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.<br/>(This fic is discontinued, will not be updated)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A familiar feeling of deja vu washed over him. All too familiar.

Just the night before, Kirishima had brought his boy back, covered in bruises and bandages from a street fight. 

It wasn’t the bruises that drew Asami’s eye, that stabbed him deep in his heart. It was the way the corners of Takaba’s mouth drooped sadly. The way his hazel eyes focused on the floor. Refusing to look at him. The fire was gone. 

It had taken everything he had not to breath a sigh of relief when his goading had brought it back and Takaba had raised his fiery hazel eyes and glared up at him angrily.

But he hadn’t missed the confusion inside him. The sadness. And then… he had confessed that he had run away. Takaba had never seemed more like a lost child than he did in that moment and yet it had infuriated Asami. That he would run, after everything he had done for him, this boy still refused to see the truth of what was between them. What was there to be confused about?

Takaba Akihito belonged to him. He had said it himself. On accident, granted, but nonetheless, he had said it and it had shown he finally understood. Asami taken him that night and had shown him again, brutally, what it meant. Akihito had cried out for mercy, had told him it hurt … but then he had cried out in pleasure and Asami knew when he left him lying alone in the bed, that he was satisfied. 

Asami however was not.

Because the admission that Akihito had wanted to leave him, hurt him deeply. Why did the boy want to leave? Asami had given him everything. He…. treasured him. What more did Takaba need? What was he looking for?

And when Takaba had expressed his interest in helping Asami find the source of the information for the article on Kouyama…

He thought perhaps that was what he needed. To feel useful and contribute. Even though Asami’s instincts had screamed at him to leave Takaba out of it, to keep him as far away from his world as possible… he knew that if he refused the boy’s offer, it would feel like a slap in the face. Might drive the boy even farther away. So he had said nothing and let the boy do what he wished. As he always did.

And there was the potential that perhaps if Asami allowed him to help, he might achieve a more control over him. Let him run, but with a lead in place. If he let Takaba be involved, he could set the terms and put conditions on it. Make him check in with him, inform him before he did anything. At least that way he had some chance of keeping tabs on the boy’s activities. Of protecting him. 

But then the boy had disobeyed him yet again. Gone against him and he had put himself in harms way and nearly gotten himself killed. 

This time it was Kuroda that brought his boy back, covered in even more bruises and bandages, his bright eyes defeated and downcast yet again. But it wasn’t his sad eyes that drew Asami’s eye this time.

It was the bandage around his neck.

He had already been briefed on what had happened in the warehouse by Kirishima. That the boy had been drugged and kidnapped by Sudoh, tied and threatened with a knife. Kuroda had come just in time.

Asami thanked Kuroda; with his eyes, but not his voice. He didn’t trust himself to speak, not at that moment. And then the door closed behind him, leaving Asami alone with his boy again. 

Nothing in his face or hands betrayed the torment he felt as he slowly peeled away the bloody gauze to reveal the ugly jagged wound across Takaba’s throat. He had been taken to the hospital to have it treated. Most of it was just a scratch. Starting out lightly on the right side of his neck where Sudoh seemed to have been dragging the blade, but as he had moved across, he had pressed the knife harder and harder. And on the left side of his neck, the skin had required stitches to close. The wound stopped just a few millimeters shy of the boy’s carotids. Dumb luck most likely. He doubted very much that Sudoh had enough knowledge of human anatomy to be that precise.

Whether it was on purpose or not, Asami did not know. 

But what he did know was that Akihito had almost died tonight. 

And just like all the times before, it was the boy’s own fault. He had gone against him, disobeyed him. Plunging into Asami’s world like the little fool he was. Without so much as a thought for his own safety. Clueless and completely blind to his own ignorance. Asami had made it clear to every criminal in the underworld that if anyone touched so much as a hair on his beautiful blond head, the consequences would be severe. In his arrogance, he had drawn a circle in the sand and thought it would protect the boy.

Combined with Takaba’s foolishness, that circle had turned out to be a bullseye. With Takaba standing right in the center of it. And too naive and clueless to know how to protect himself.

No more.

Never again would Asami look out over Shinjuku without a clue as to where his lover might be. What trouble he might be getting in to. The danger he might be in. Never again would he feel as he had tonight, not knowing if Kuroda would find him in time. As he had watching Fei Long’s helicopter disappear into the horizon with his boy on it. As he had on that dark night in Hong Kong, standing over Takaba, not knowing if he was alive or dead. Never again would he feel that sickening terror, that clutching panic in his chest, that weakness that only this boy could bring out in him.

This was the last time. 

Takaba would not be given the opportunity to cross him again. To put himself in harm’s way.

Looking at him, he could already tell; his spirit was crushed. Takaba knew he had screwed up yet again. He knew that he could have been killed. Remorse, embarrassment and regret was written all over his face. Part of Asami wanted to offer him clemency, forgiveness. Take him in his arms and wash the fear of the night away. Baptize him. 

But he couldn’t do that. Because next time Takaba wouldn’t meet his eyes, it would likely be because the beautiful boy was laid out on a slab at the morgue.

There would not, could not BE a next time.

After pulling the bandage from his neck, he kept himself apart from Akihito, his eyes fixed on that crimson line across his throat.

He pulled out a cigarette and took a deep drag, exhaling slowly before motioning with it towards the couch.

“Sit”

Finally Takaba raised his eyes. Luminous, pleading, questioning. Asami gazed back at him flatly. Offering nothing. Staring at that thin red line.

“Asami, I-”

“SIT”

Takaba sat. The delicate skin under his eyes looked bruised.

Asami drew a deep breath and spoke, “Part of this is my fault, I accept that. I don’t have any intention to involve you ever again. It was a mistake. But you-”

Takaba shook his head, “No Asami, no. I offered to help, I wanted-”

Asami’s eyes narrowed and Akihito shut his mouth at the silent warning. 

“But you, as usual, only added more problems to my plate. You act however you wish, without any thought to the consequences. I told you specifically, not to behave as before, rushing in headfirst, exposing yourself. I requested you to obtain information and report back to me before making any moves, taking any risks. But instead of-”

“Asami, I know, I -”

“Do not interrupt me again.”

Akihito’s mouth shut. His full lips pressing together so hard the skin on the corners of his mouth wrinkled. His eyes looked even more bruised, the moisture only made those hazel eyes looked sadder. But Asami was not finished.

“Instead of acting like a rational adult. Planning, strategizing and judging the risks before making your move …. What did you do Takaba?”

Asami answered his own question, “You took the obvious bait Sudoh gave you, used it to get into a club where you did not belong, got yourself drugged, kidnapped and nearly killed. All while flagrantly disobeying my orders. Do you know, Takaba, what I do to subordinates who disobey me?”

He drew out the gun from its holster beneath his coat and placed it on the table with the barrel pointed at Takaba. The safety was on but the boy didn’t know that. He didn’t know anything about guns. He was far too young, too innocent for his own good.

Takaba drew a deep breath and held it. Going still like a mouse trapped in a tank with a snake, pressing itself hard into the corner and hoping that those sharp golden eyes wouldn't see it. That those strong jaws wouldn't snap shut and swallow it whole.

The boy spoke quietly, “Is that what I am to you Asami? Your subordinate?”

“It seems as if that is what you think you are Takaba.”

“Sudoh says you throw underlings away. He told me I was nothing more than a pawn to you. That you would throw me away too.”

Asami took another drag of the cigarette he was holding, “And you believed him?”

Dull hazel eyes looked at him, “I don’t know.”

Asami scrutinized his face and as usual, everything he felt was written right there for the world to see. He truly didn’t know. He honestly didn’t. Asami raked his fingers through his dark hair in irritation. What the hell did Takaba want from him? Sweet nothings whispered in his ear? A confession of love and undying adoration? He had gone to Hong Kong to save him. The simple fact that he wasn’t in a whorehouse speaking Chinese and wearing a pretty cheongsam while he sucked Fei Long’s dick should have been enough for him to know he wasn’t just a pawn. How many fucking underlings did he see walking around this penthouse with keys to come and go as they wished? How many subordinates were allowed to jeopardize his business, harm his merchandise and walk away with their skins intact? How many times had he saved the boy, rescued him, risking his own neck in the process … just how many fucking fireworks did he have to buy to make the boy understand how he felt about him? To his detriment, everyone else could see it, even Sudoh fucking Shou, so why couldn’t Takaba?

Asami did not answer. He moved to the bar and poured himself a shot of whiskey. 

Finally Takaba spoke again, asking the one question Asami did not want to answer. His voice was soft and sad when he asked, “What is my value to you? Why do you keep me around? You are surrounded by people with looks and money and power. The closer I get to you, the more I realize, I don’t belong here. With you.”

A flash of white hot anger exploded in Asami’s chest and he slammed the whiskey bottle down with a snarl, “Where do you belong then? In a jail cell? Crawling around in the gutter for your next ‘big break’? Living day to day, struggling to eat and pay your rent?”

Takaba recoiled as if he had been slapped, “Don’t look down on me, this is my profession. There are things I want to do. I’m proud of my life and my work…” He sighed and looked down at his hands, “I know you don’t understand. But… photos don’t lie. They don’t hide things. They capture the reality, the truth of the moment and the secrets people try to keep hidden... But not yours, never yours. No matter how many times I catch you in the Viewfinder, I can’t capture your thoughts, your feelings. You won’t let me in. Even though we live together now, I don’t know you any better than I did the first day we met. I go for weeks without seeing your face. I’m an investigative journalist and I still don’t know what it is you even DO. and yet, even though you are hardly ever home, you still spy on my every move. You even hired a private detective to follow me around! I hardly know anything about you, but you know everything I do, thats pretty one sided don’t you think? 

When Asami still didn’t answer, Takaba’s eyes clouded with hurt and anger, “Why won’t you tell me anything? Don’t you trust me?”

Asami did trust him. Not to behave predictably, or rationally. Not to follow orders. Not to be obedient, never that. But more than anyone, when it came to telling the truth. There were different kinds of trust in his world but Takaba would never understand that so he said simply, “I do trust you.”

“Then why don’t you ever tell me anything? Why don’t I know anything about you?”

Asami told him the truth, “You wear your thoughts and emotions openly on your face. The less you know about me and what I do, the better.”

The safer. For both of us, he thought. Asami lips pressed together tightly, the words of his father echoing in his mind. ‘If useless emotions cannot be put aside, the consequences can be grave.’ He needed to regain control of this … useless emotion that was burning in his chest. Before it got Takaba killed. Because of those emotions, he hadn’t seen clearly. He had allowed the boy so much freedom. Too much.

He knew now, that the more rope he was given, the more likely Takaba was to hang himself with it.

Takaba sighed heavily and Asami could see tears swimming in his beautiful hazel eyes, until he turned his gaze away and hid them from view, “I can’t do this anymore then. I can’t stay this way forever and if I have to decide one or the other, I chose my career. I choose my dreams. Not you. Not anymore. Its over Asami. I’m sorry.” 

He stood and moved towards the hall, going to his room to collect his things. He was leaving. Leaving. Asami shook his head incredulously before standing, he walked over, blocking his path, “Are you testing me?”

Takaba shook his head and Asami could see that he wasn’t. He meant it. He truly meant to leave. And if Asami knew anything about the boy, once he had made up his mind to do something; he did it. No matter the consequences.

He could not allow it. He would not let him leave. Takaba was his. His.

He pinned the boy’s familiar slender frame up against the wall, ignoring his struggles. His golden eyes going back to the red line across his throat again and again.

“You cannot escape my reach and I will not let you turn away from me.”

Takaba shook his head violently, “Its not your choice to make. Its mine.”

Asami snarled, “And YOU are mine. I will let no other have you. I told you, no one but me will ever touch you.”

Takaba was struggling in earnest now, but he was no match for Asami. Especially not an angry, irrational Asami. 

He cried out, equal parts fear and anger, “What are you going to do, Asami, tie me up and lock me away? Is that what you want?”

His question, so similar to the night before, struck at something deep inside Asami, something he had not been willing to admit before tonight. Because it was the truth. Almost from the very beginning, Asami had had to fight the urge to lock Takaba up, tie him down, hide him away from the rest of the world. He would have been dead long ago had Asami not stepped in. He had a risk taking, impulsive nature that was practically suicidal in someone in his line of work. Combined with his naive trusting nature and the rose tinted lenses through which he saw the world, it was a recipe for disaster. But Asami was smart enough to know that the very things that drew him to the boy would be destroyed by caging him. So he had bent over backwards to make the boy feel free. To give him his independence. 

Why couldn’t he have fallen for a sweet docile girl, with dollar signs in her eyes, who would have been content to let his men drive her where she wanted to go, content to stay safe in his penthouse? He should have found himself a true yakuza mistress who would have been happy surrounded by the monetary proof of his affection. Why did it have to be this boy? This spirited, idealistic boy with stars in his eyes and dreams in his heart? A little songbird that thought he could fly with the hawks, despite all evidence to the contrary.

He had worked so very, very hard not to stifle him, not to put out that light that burned so bright. And all it did was encourage him to fly higher, higher and higher…. It was inevitable, one day he would fall. And Asami would not be there to catch him.

He could not allow that to happen. If that fire was going to be put out, it would be by his hand and no other. Only he was allowed to change Takaba. He would take a pale shadow of him, an angry cursing Takaba, a hatefilled Takaba. Any of those Takabas was better than the one in his nightmares. The still, quiet Takaba, with his bold, brave eyes closed forever, his warmth gone, laying silently on a slab because Asami had let him fly too close to the sun. Because Asami had failed to protect him. 

There was only one answer to give that question and it was the reason he hadn’t answered it at all the last time Takaba had asked it. 

“Yes.”

Greenish hazel eyes widened in alarm and confusion. Disbelief.

Asami snarled it again, “Yes, that’s exactly what I am going to do.”

Takaba’s full lips parted in shock, his jaw dropping, “Asami, you can’t! You-”

“Mine Takaba, you are mine. I told you all along, your freedom is in my hands. I let you have it because it pleased me to do so. But now?”

He leaned closer and hissed in the boy’s beautiful ear, “I’m taking it back.”

-


	2. Chapter 2

There were only two times Takaba had ever truly cried during sex. Not a tear or two from the pleasure. But openly wept, with tears running down his face. Asami remembered them both well. They were carved in his memory.

The first time was when Asami had raped him for the first time. He had cried, sobbed and wailed from the pain, the drugs and the terror.

The second time was when Asami had rescued him in Hong Kong. He had shed tears of relief, joy and love. Crying Asami’s name over and over in a broken hymn. 

This was the third time he had cried. 

Tears streamed down his face like the other two times. But unlike the others, this time he was silent. His lips parted but the only sounds he made were the occasional breathless gasps for air when Asami thrust deep inside him. 

It sounded like he was drowning. 

Asami did not speak either. The only sound was the steady creak -creak- creak of the bedframe as it strained under Asami’s forceful attack. On and on and on it went, for hours into the night. 

Asami labored under no delusion as he held down the slim figure beneath him. Takaba wanted no part of this. No part of him.  It was rape. A complex mixture of sexual desire, violence and the desire to subjugate. The desire to dominate and take something that was out of reach. Something he had no right to take.

Something he still had no right to take. Even two years later. 

And in the end, when he finally finished and they lay together in the dark, Takaba continued to sob silently in his arms. They had both found release, but not relief. Not this time. His small body shook for a long, long time. When he finally stilled and his breathing eased, only then did Asami finally speak, his voice was low and deep and dark as the night that surrounded them, “You are mine. You will always be mine.”

But he wasn’t sure if it was Takaba he was talking to or himself. 

-

Asami was awakened by the sharp ring of his cellphone. He heard its first note and the sound seemed to continue endlessly.

There was no period of drowsiness between sleep and wakefulness. Instantly, he was fully aroused and in complete control of all of his faculties. It was just before midnight. He frowned harshly at the offending object but his gaze relented when he saw the caller and picked up immediately. The other man did not even give him time to say hello.

“I’m sorry to bother you so late.” His voice took on an embarrassed, urgent tone. “But this matter isn’t something that can be discussed by phone.”

“Of course.”

“Be there in a few minutes.”

The click signaled the end of the call. Asami moved into his closet and dressed in slacks and a loose dress shirt. He pulled a suit coat over both. There was a good chance he would be leaving for the night and not coming back. He looked for a long moment at Takaba’s sleeping form. The boy slept as if he had been drugged. Like that night in the hotel. Unlike that night, however, he would be there when Asami returned. He would make sure of it. He took the key from the dresser and locked the bedroom door behind him. All of the penthouse doors could be locked from either side. They had both dead bolts on the inside and key locks on the outside. He had never used them, not until tonight. He moved into the living quarters and flicked on the light.

He had only settled down a few minutes to wait, a glass of whiskey in hand, when there was a sharp knock on the door. He opened it to see Kuroda standing in the doorway. There was an urgency in his voice, his face and manner as well, “Again, I apologize for bothering you so late…”

“Don’t worry about it.” Asami sat back in his chair and nudged the cigarettes towards Kuroda who took one gratefully. 

The prosecutor lit it and took a long drag. Inhaling the thick smoke as if it was oxygen and he had been drowning. He held it in his lungs, waiting for the nicotine to hit his blood stream before speaking, “Asami, I noticed Takaba was not wearing the coat he went into Dracaena with when he was found. After further investigation of the crime scene, I discovered it in the back of the van used to transport him. This was in the pocket.”

He placed a small thin rectangular object on the table between them. Asami immediately recognized it as one of Takaba’s cheap voice recorders. The boy lost so many during his investigations, he practically bought them by the dozen.

“Asami, all the answers we have been looking for are on this, as well as the location of the missing merchandise. Steps have already been taken to recover it. But, I know how you feel about that boy and… there are some things on it.. that will be hard for you to hear. Its important that you do, but I want you to be prepared. 

For Asami that meant one thing. He poured a shot glass of whiskey and settled into his chair with that in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He nodded to Kuroda to hit play. The other man hesitated, his finger clicked the button and Takaba’s voice was coming out of the tiny speaker, sounding thin and hollow.

_ “Aren’t you acquaintances with Sudou from club Dracaena?” _

_ “I wouldn’t say we are acquaintances. I would say we are people in the same business” _

Asami immediately recognized the man’s voice as Sakazaki. He was another club owner that provided similar services to his clientele as Asami did. His clients however were the ones Asami refused to do business with. There were some people whose money was simply too dirty to touch. Those people went to Sakazaki, he didn’t have such qualms. The man had been a thorn in Asami’s side for years. But that wasn’t the reason Asami stiffened, his fingers clenching a little harder around the shotglass. Sakazaki was well known for his lecherous ways. The man had a distinct sexual preference for young, beautiful boys. Innocent boys. Boys just like Takaba. Asami gritted his teeth and continued to listen to the recording.

_ “Then you know what Sudou and that representative Kouyama are doing behind the scenes?” _

_ “Eh? What are you talking about?” _

_ “The lead you gave Mitarai” _

Sakazaki’s voice dropped, menacing, _“Who’s order are you under? Asami Ryuichi’s?_

There was a moment of silence, before Sakazaki spoke again, _“If that’s the case, then I can’t tell you anything. I prefer business dealing with individuals, not people working for big fishes.”_

Takaba’s voice insisted, _“This is something I personally want to know. Why would you purposely reveal information that could harm Sudou?_

_ “Didn’t Asami also find out the truth about Sudoh from this? He has nothing to worry about now.” _

_ “Is that so?” _

_ “That’s right. If anyone is to blame for dirtying Asami’s name; its Sudou.” _

There was another long moment of silence before Takaba spoke again, his voice was lower than usual, not quite threatening, but hinting at it, _“Sakazaki-san, does Sudou know it was you who sold the information to the magazines?”_

The sound of a body shifting around uncomfortably and then settling back into leather came through the speakers, _“And if thats the case, what are you going to do about it? I’m not stupid, I’m not going to reveal such information to someone who may do harm to me.”_

Takaba’s voice was back to normal, soft, _“I’ve never thought about doing something that would be detrimental to you.”_

_ “Sure, but can you promise Asami won’t?” _

There was another pregnant pause before Sakazaki’s voice spoke again, this time smooth, _“Takaba-kun, if you want me to talk, you have to come over here. I want some assurance that if I tell you what you want, our fates will be tied together.”_

Asami knew exactly the play Sakazaki was making. He ground his teeth because he could hear the confusion in Takaba’s voice when the boy replied innocently, _“I don’t have any money or anything of value…”_

_ “I’m aware of that. But if Asami were to come into this, I would be deeply troubled. I can tell you what you want to know… for example, the whereabouts of that girl. But you have to keep all of this a secret from Asami.” _

Takaba’s voice was incredulous, _“You want me to lie to him? Well I won’t!”_

Good boy. That was the Takaba he knew. Asami smiled half heartedly as the conversation rolled on. 

_ “Surely you must have told a fib or two to that guy. This can be our little secret.” _

_ “LET ME GO!” _

Asami’s fingers clenched, snapping his cigarette in half unconsciously as Sakazaki laughed.

_ “Asami’s cute little kitten …. you know, if you continue to stay with that guy.. you won’t be able to get away anymore.” _

_ “What do you mean?” _

Sakazaki chuckled before answering, _“What I mean is the sense of satisfaction and companionship can make any man seek out a single purpose. It’s really quite touching…”_

_ “I don’t understand what you are saying…” _

_ “Forget it… A man like Asami is pretty good, but a rough and open man like myself isn’t that bad either.” _

_ “I’m not interested, let me go!” _

_ “No can do. You must have known things would become like this and you still came alone. Since you have nothing else to offer, you’ll just have to work for what you want.” _

_ “You want me to sell myself?” _

_ “What else have you got to offer? I want to see the techniques you use to please Asami. You can pay for the information pretty cheap this way.” _

Asami sat forward, going on high alert at Takaba’s silence. Surely not. Surely he wasn’t actually considering….

_ “If you keep hesitating, the price will go up.” _

Asami’s heart froze in his chest as he heard the sound of a zipper scratching down. The shuffling of clothing. At the sound of Sakazaki’s pleasure filled moan, it exploded, shattering like glass into a thousand pieces. 

_ "Your techniques are really good. You must have been well trained.” _

White hot rage filling every fiber of his being, the mask dropped as Asami’s teeth bared in a silent snarl. Rage and pain painting his face until it was barely recognizable.

_ “You have such a cute face too. You would make great merchandise… although I don’t know how you taste back there. When you get tossed aside by Asami, why don’t you come to me?” _

He heard Akihito gag and Sakazaki reprimand him, _“Don’t bite you little brat.”_

At that Asami stood and turned, hurling the glass of whiskey into the wall where it shattered, spraying the brown liquid across the white wall. Making dark jagged stain across its pristine surface. Kuroda winced but he did not stop the recording.

_ “Do you do this with Sudou too?” _

Sakazaki chuckled low and filthy, _“Who knows, but if you continue to do things like this… You could get a lot of useful information…. You hear a lot of things in this business. The rumors of Takaba Akihito went around like this: Asami Ryuichi keeping a pretty little boy-toy with him and if anyone dares to touch a hair on his head, the consequences would be severe. And now? Here I am, thrusting into Asami’s precious little boy’s mouth! This feeling is just too great! I haven’t felt this excited in a long time! HAAAAAHAHAHA!!”_

Asami heard Akihito choke and gag repeatedly and knew that Sakazaki was holding him still and thrusting hard into his little mouth. In a blind fury, he began punching the wall in time with Akihito’s violent gagging. 

_ “NNGH!” _

_ “MM!” _

_ “MMGH!” _

_ “Hurry up and use that tongue more! HAHAAA!” _

Sakazaki gave a long grunt and finally it was over. Blood dripped down Asami’s knuckes to splatter on the floor. One drop after another as he continued to listen. 

_ “I took a picture to commemorate this moment. But don’t worry, I’ll keep it as our little secret. Anyway, that girl you are looking for, from Sudou’s Club. She’s hiding out at his cathouse, here’s the address. There is an elevator hidden under the stairs in the basement.” _

Takaba’s voice sounded thick and hoarse when he finally spoke, _“Did someone pay you to setup Sudou like this?”_

It was an incredibly perceptive question. The silence was telling and Asami’s eyes flew wide at the realization. The pieces beginning to click together. It was obvious the other man was not going to answer that question. 

Takaba sighed, _“Forget it, thanks for the information.”_

He could hear the boy’s footsteps across the floor but from a distance Sakazaki’s voice spoke one last time.

_ “Takaba-kun… if that girl is found. You better leave this case as it is. If you stop digging, this case can end peacefully for both of us….And I wouldn’t say anything to Sudou if I were you. That guy is pretty scary.” _

He heard the sound of a door opening and closing and moments later, Takaba choking and gagging, retching until he dryheaved. Asami turned his face from Kuroda. He wasn’t capable of putting the mask back on, not yet, and he knew the pain was still etched across his features. There for the world to see.

He heard the sound of a toilet flushing and water running. After a few more footsteps, the recording cut off.

It picked up seconds later, a girl’s soft voice spoke, _“Please, make yourself comfortable. Come sit beside me and let’s chat…”_

_ “I’d really rather take a shower…” _

The girl giggled, _“Don’t be so rushed Impatient-san!”_

_ “I was only kidding Aya-san. Or should I say Aoki Mayu-san?” _

Asami jerked in surprise and Kuroda reached over and cut off the recording. “Takaba restarted the recorder when he entered Sudou’s secret cathouse. Something I'll admit, I could not have achieved on my own.The recorder was running in Takaba’s pocket the entire time, even though he got drugged, he got everything. Sudou and the men who took him had no idea he had a recorder on him and spoke freely. I was able to piece together their conversations. We know everything now. 

It was as you and I suspected. The pictures Takaba took and the magazine expose on Senator Kouyama’s embezzlement of public funds and spending it on girls … well, that was only half of the story. The Senator could not use the money he embezzled without drawing the attention of the authorities. As you of all people well know, he had to launder it, make it look as if it was coming from a clean source. That was when Sudou got involved. He was using the Dracaena and the connections to the political and financial world to launder money on the side, under the table. He was going behind your back Ryuichi, as you suspected, and rather than going through you and using our traditional routes to clean illicit funds, he was doing something much riskier.

The money was made to look like it was going to the prostitute, Aoki Mayu, but she was handing it off to Sudou who was laundering it for the Senator. Every time the Senator came to the club and won at Pachinko or MahJong, Sudou was passing the money back to him in the form of gambling winnings. But the Senator got greedy and began to embezzle greater and greater amounts of money. Too much to be laundered as Pachinko winnings. At that point, Sudou began using your merchandise and trade routes to launder the embezzled funds. He had an accomplice inside your organization who was helping him forge cargo drop offs and sales and paying you with the dirty money. He would then pass off the cargo to Kouyama who would take it and sell it in Eastern Europe, which explains all his recent trips there. It is much easier to smuggle a few kilos of pure cocaine out of the country than hundreds of kilos of cash. He kept the money in offshore accounts except for the last hundred million. It was the largest amount yet. It passed to the girl, but the magazine expose was published before the Senator could take possession of the stolen cargo and Sudou was left holding large amounts of your merchandise with no way of moving it and a 100 million yen in embezzled public funds. Knowing that the Feds would came after Aoki for the money, which he needed to pay you off, he pinned the theft of the money on the girl and made her disappear, hiding her in his cathouse. The more difficult problem was making the merchandise disappear. 

That was where his connections to the entertainment industry came in. There is a well known actor slated to begin filming of a movie in Eastern Europe, he ran afoul of the police for some domestic battery and assault charges and got thrown in jail. His current financial issues are well known and he was unable to make bail. No need to take a guess at who made bail for him. Sudou. And in return, the man was scheduled to to fly out of the country on his studio’s private plane with 44 kilos of cocaine in the bottom of his wardrobe chests. No one would ever suspect a successful actor on his way to a filming to be smuggling drugs into Europe. Takaba actually managed to take some pictures of them together before he was caught by Sudou’s men and beaten. Sudou erased the contents of his camera, but based on this recording we still have more than enough evidence to link them together.

If it hadn’t been for that young and impulsive photographer of yours, the merchandise would be long gone by now and there’s no telling how long it would have taken us to unravel Sudou’s scheme. The only question that remains, is we know Sudou was not alone in this. He had an accomplice and that accomplice set him up to take the fall. It was no coincidence you discovered the missing merchandise when you did and became suspicious of Sudou. I believe that was all part of the plan. And thanks to this recording, we can also confirm that the magazine article’s timing was no coincidence. Sakazaki was paid to pass off the tip to Mitarai at that exact moment, so that Sudou would get stuck holding everything at the exact moment you became suspicious of him. The question is why? Whoever Sudou’s accomplice is, he meant to take him down. And he knew that the moment Sudou realized what had happened, his identity would be revealed and so he took measures to protect his identity. Extreme measures” 

“Is he conscious yet?”

Kuroda shook his head, “No, the injuries from the gunshot wound were extensive, he is still unconscious, in critical condition and it is not certain whether he will live, much less ever wake up and be capable of talking. As of right now, he is not a viable lead. Our only two leads are Takaba and Sakazaki. Takaba did not get a good look at his face, the man stood in the shadows and wore a hoodie. All he was able to give me is that he was taller than Sudou, about your height and that he was thin. He related it to me as best he could remember but the conversation between Sudou and his accomplice is the only thing that was not captured on the recorder. It was left in his coat pocket, in the car when Takaba was taken into the  warehouse. He heard his voice clearly though and may be able to ID him off of that. It possible we could use that to…”

“I dont want him involved any further in this.”

“Then we need to go after Sakazaki. The sooner the better, until we know who his accomplice was, we don’t know what we are dealing with. Ryuichi, its possible the man was trying to protect you by ferreting out Sudou, double crossing him and getting revenge on him for going behind your back in your own club…”

Asami smirked, they both knew that was probably wishful thinking. 

“But its far more likely that he is trying to take you down from the inside out. We both know Japan has long been lenient on money laundering and very few cases have ever been prosecuted. But the prime minister is under heavy pressure from the FATF and the international community to crack down on money laundering as a way to combat terrorism. Massive changes in the way the Japanese government regulates domestic transactions are coming, as well as heavy anti-money-laundering laws. The Japanese Parliament was threatened in June with sanctions if they do not crack down on money laundering. They passed a bill in October that was heavily criticized for being all show. They are searching for a way to show the international community that they are serious. Taking down an operation as longstanding and extensive as yours would be perfect.  I do not believe it is a coincidence that this happened at the worst possible time for a spotlight to be shined on your clubs. And that is exactly what this incident with Sudou has done. Sullied your name and cast suspicion upon you. It is well known that he manages Dracaena and it is only a matter of time before it comes out that he was laundering money for Kouyama there. You can pass it off as an isolated event and a rogue employee, but that doesn’t change the fact that we are just dealing with more than just local officials now and they will be watching your clubs. I raided that warehouse of Sudou’s with the excuse of looking for smuggled goods, even though I knew they would not be there. But that also doesn’t change the fact that the authorities know that Sudoh was passing drugs to Kouyama who was selling them in Eastern Europe and they will be looking for the source. Not to mention he used one of your guns to shoot Sudou. There are a lot of ways this could come back on you. The last thing we need is for anyone to start looking too closely at your clubs and businesses.”

Asami lit another cigarette, “That’s an understatement.” 

Every one of Asami’s businesses, even his illicit drug, diamond and arms smuggling was built to support his main purpose; money laundering for every yakuza, cartel, crooked CEO, cop and politician in Japan. Asami was their cleaner. He knew all his powerful client’s dirty secrets. And that was why no one dared touch Asami Ryuichi. He had been invincible, up to now.

“If handled correctly, this should fade away in no time. The only wildcard we have to deal with is Sudou’s accomplice. If his aim is to bring you down, he is likely not done yet. Until we find him, everything and everyone is at risk. And judging by the fact that the accomplice knows Takaba heard his voice and considering what he did to Sudou to avoid being exposed, no one is in more danger than Takaba.”

Asami nodded, “We’ll start with Sakazaki” He was looking forward to it.

“I thought you might say that. My men already have him. He will likely be unconscious until morning, so there is no hurry there. There was one other thing Sudou said, while Takaba was being held in the warehouse. Takaba said he told his accomplice to get out of there because it would be troublesome if his boss saw him. You were not coming to that warehouse and I do not believe that the boss he was referring to was you. Which means, if Takaba heard him correctly, Sudou may have been working for someone else as well. Someone who was meeting him at that warehouse. He may have been operating under orders from higher up who apparently did not know he had an accomplice inside your organization and whom Sudou did not want him to know about. Whoever was falsifying the shipping and cargo records for Sudou and getting him the merchandise had to have a much broader picture of your operation than Sudou would have had access to. They had to know your suppliers, distributors, clients,  and have an extensive working knowledge of your shill corporations to float the money through.

“I know I shouldn’t ask this but how much are you paying Kirishima?”

Asami grunted as if in amusement, but the insinuation struck him deeply. 

Kuroda spoke earnestly, “Asami you know I am your man. I have always been and will continue to be your man. I was working for you when I took this job as a district prosecutor and I still am. Nothing has changed. If I have to, I will give everything up to shield you. But there are some things even I cannot hide.”

Asami nodded, “I am aware. And it seems I have sorely overestimated my control over the organization. Immediate steps will be taken to weed out any possible moles and consolidate existing infrastructure. But it seems, for the moment, that the only one I can trust right now is you.

Kuroda nodded and stood up, dusting off his wrinkled trousers, “My men are holding Sakazaki for you, I’m sure you understand why. It is critical that whoever Sudou’s accomplice was does not get access to him before we do or we may lose our only chance of discovering his identity. Don’t trust anyone.”

Asami extinguished his cigarette and stood, he grasped Kuroda’s hand, ignoring his bloody knuckles and shook it firmly, “You repaid your debt to me today and now I am in yours.”

Kuroda shook his head, “No Asami, there will never be a day when that debt is repaid. I am and will always be, your man.”

As he opened the door to go, he looked back once more and spoke, “He did it for you Asami. You know that, don’t you?”

Asami didn’t answer, but his eyes went ice cold again and Kuroda closed the door softly behind him. Asami took the key from his pocket and unlocked the bedroom door. The moon had come out from behind the clouds and shone across the bed, turning Takaba’s blond hair into a halo. Asami ran the back of his knuckles over Takaba’s smooth cheek. In so many ways, he was still just a boy. 

He and Takaba were not that different. They were two faces on the same coin. Perhaps that was what drew him to the boy in the first place. The boy as his opposite in every way and yet, they did the exact same thing. They both created pictures to tell the world a story. But whereas Takaba’s photographs were meant to reveal the truth, the reality of things and shine lights on secrets hidden; Asami created pictures of another sort. The pictures he painted were meant to obfuscate the truth, to weave so many lies and layers over it; it could never be seen again. There were three steps to revealing the hidden picture in film; developer, fixer and cleaner. There were three steps in money laundering; placement, layering and integration. They were the exact opposite of each other, one revealing the truth and one hiding it. Two sides of the same coin. It wasn’t until tonight that he had realized how truly alike they were. 

He sat there and watched the boy sleep, smoking cigarette after cigarette, until the fire and the rage was gone and all that was left was the smoke rising from the ashes.

  


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